Metallic razok-stkop



l) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILO A. HOLCOHB, OF GRANBY, CONNECTICUT.

METALLIC RAZOR-STIRO?.

Specication of Letters Patent N o. 25,265, dated August 30, 1859.

. proved razor strop; Fig. 2, an edge View thereof; Fig. 3, an edge viewthereof, showing how its iexibility adapts it to the edge of the razor;E ig. 4l, a cross section of the blade, as at the line w, Fig. l.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

I form the blade A, of hardened steel, and polish it to the highestdegree. The blade is, in general, sufficiently thin to render it more orless flexible; while the handle B, may be thicker, if desired, as shownin the drawings, and may be of steel, iron, or any other convenient andsuitable material. The cross sect-ion of the blade A, is generallysomewhat rounded, as shown in Fig. t.

The razor should first be brought to a keen edge by means of a hone, orany other instrument in common use. It is then to be applied to thepolished surface of this strop till the finest and smoothest edge isobtained.

By its flexibility, the strop may be curved downward, as shown in F ig.3, so that its surface will come into a little closer contact with theedge of the razor, than will the hone by which the razor is sharpened;and thus it effectually polishes, as it were, the very edge of the razorto the finest keeness.

I am aware that metal has been used, in

various ways for sharpening razors and other cutting instruments; but inall such cases, so far as I am aware, this employment of metal fulfilsthe function of a hone, for

reducing the edge, rather than of a strop,

for smoothing the edge; the two functions, as well as the means ofaccomplishing them, being clearly distinct. I am also aware thatpolished steel has been used for the purpose of burnishing; edge, forthe purpose of giving fineness of edge to cutting instruments. The aboveapplications of metal, therefore, I do not Claim; but

Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A razor-strop made of polished steel, of the requisite degree ofhardness, when possessing a sufficient degree of flexibility to enablethe angle which its surface forms with 6o the edge of the razor to belessened to the desired extent, in the manner and 'for the purpose asherein specified.

In witness that the above is a true specification of my improvedpolished steel razor strop, I hereunto set my hand this second day ofJuly, 1859.

' MILO A. I-IOLCOMB. Vitnesses JOHN S. HOLLINGSHEAD, B. E. OseooD, J. S.BROWN.

but not, within my knowl- 5o

